Sterling will be absent from Reds training today after telling staff that he was too ill to come to our Melwood base, with this latest misdemeanour coming just 24 hours after he told manager Brendan Rodgers that he didn’t want to travel with the rest of the squad on our pre-season tour.

He’s not doing himself any favours is he?

As the Echo states, Liverpool declined to comment but normal procedure in these circumstances is that they will send club medical staff around to the player’s house to do an assessment, potentially leaving Sterling in a rather sticky situation.

We all know that the 20-year-old is trying to force through a move to Manchester City – as our source confirms – and this sudden illness seems much too convenient considering his current circumstances.

According to the Echo, we are preparing ourselves for a third City bid for Sterling in the coming days, with the new offer expected to surpass the £40m offer which we rejected last month. Liverpool value the player at £50m and will reportedly refuse to sell if City fail to meet that price.

With the Reds due to leave for the Far East at the end of the week, the time is running out for both City and Sterling to make their move.